Getty Trent Brown protecting Derek Carr.
One of the biggest decisions the Las Vegas Raiders have this offseason is what they’re going to do with Trent Brown. The Pro Bowl right tackle is elite when he’s on the field but the problem is that he’s been hampered with injuries for most of his Raiders tenure. The team also doesn’t seem too convinced that he loves football.
That has led to Las Vegas trying to shop him in a trade, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Typically, a player of his ability would be very popular on the trade market but it doesn’t appear the Raiders have gotten any biters. The team has been in the process of cutting a number of high-priced players in order to create cap space. Shortly after it was reported that LaMarcus Joyner was getting released, Brown made a cryptic post.
While the posting of smiley faces isn’t that notable, what was notable was one of the tweets that he liked. The tweet read: “Maybe his next team won’t inject an air bubble into his blood stream,” which was referring to an incident that happened during the season that forced Brown to get sent to the hospital right before a game.
Looking like Trent Brown won’t be a Raider much longer
The fact that Brown liked that tweet sure makes it seems like he’s on his way out soon. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s off the roster in the coming days.
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Offensive Line a Massive Need for Raiders
Just a couple of weeks ago, the offensive line was one of the Raiders’ biggest strengths. Now, it could be a massive weakness. Gabe Jackson and Richie Incognito have both reportedly been informed that they will be released. If Brown is indeed not going to return next season, that means three of the five starters won’t be back.
Luckily, it seems very possible that Incognito will sign on a smaller deal. However, that is not guaranteed. If he signs elsewhere, then the Raiders could be in trouble. Denzelle Good will likely be re-signed. He can play either guard spot or even right tackle. John Simpson is young but has upside. That said, Las Vegas would be taking a serious risk by relying on him to start at one of the guard spots next season. The Raiders’ offensive line was one of their biggest strengths over the last couple of seasons. 2021 could be very rocky if they can’t replace Brown, Incognito and Jackson.
Where Could Brown End Up?
If Brown is actually on his way out, he could be a hot commodity on the free-agent market. Teams are always desperate for elite offensive line talent and he’s one of the best in the business when he’s healthy. It doesn’t seem likely that he’ll be getting another record-breaking payday but he’ll get a nice contract.
Brown was a big fan of playing with Tom Brady. Maybe he’ll want to go ring chase with his former teammate in Tampa Bay. If he’s looking to get paid, he could be interested in the Jacksonville Jaguars. Brown played college ball at Florida and the Jaguars have a ton of cap space. With Trevor Lawrence likely about to join the team, they could invest heavily in beefing up their offensive line.
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